Dept. of Health needs $30M from state to make payroll next month, officials say

Dept. of Health needs $30M from state to make payroll next month, officials say

Department’s financial woes could be catastrophic for Oklahomans

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Updated: 5:56 PM CST Nov 6, 2017

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WEBVTT MAKE PAYROLL NEXT MONTH.FLU SHOTS, DISEASE PREVENTION,BIRTH CERTIFICATESTHE SERVICES THAT THE STATEHEALTH DEPARTMENT PROVIDESNEARLY ENDLESS.BUT BECAUSE OF YEARS OF MONEYPROBLEMS, THAT COULD BECHANGING>> IN THE SIMPLEST TERMS, YES,THEY OVER SPENT.ABIGAIL: WE'RE TOLD FINANCIALRECORDS DATING BACK TO 2011 ARENOT TOTALLY RELIABLE.BUT WHAT AUTHORITIES FIGURED OUTMONEY WAS MOVED AROUND WHEN IT, WASN'T SUPPOSED TO BE.>> WE CONTINUED TO DO THINGSTHAT WE COULDN'T AFFORD TO DO.MONEY MOVED FROM DIFFERENT FUNTO ALLOW THIS OPERATIONABIGAIL: AND BECAUSE OF THIS,THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT NEEDS 30MILLION DOLLARS FROM THE STATEASAP.THEY NEED THIS MONEY TO PAYTHEIR EMPLOYEES NEXT MONTH.AND IF THEY DON'T GET THE $30MILLION?>> IT WOULD BE CATASTROPHIC.ABIGAIL: BUT AS WE KNOW, THESTATE DOESN'T HAVE MUCH MONEY TOSPEND RIGHT NOW THE GOVERNMENTDEALING WITH A $215 MILLION

Dept. of Health needs $30M from state to make payroll next month, officials say

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Authorities announced the department’s financial records dating back to 2011 are not totally reliable. They figured out money was moved around when it wasn’t supposed to have been.

“In the simplest terms, yes, they overspent,” Secretary of Finance and Revenue Preston Doerflinger said. “We continue to do things that we couldn’t afford to do. Money moved from different funds to allow this operation.”

Because of the misappropriated funds, the Oklahoma State Department of Health needs $30 million from the state as soon as possible. If the department doesn’t get the money, Doerflinger said, “it would be catastrophic.”

Oklahoma doesn’t have much money to spend right now, as the government is dealing with a $215 million budget hole.

“This couldn’t have come at a worse time,” Doerflinger said.

The department’s financial problems also could lead to more furloughs, layoffs and the end of some services at the Health Department.